Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk booed for refusing to shake Belarusianopponent’s hand after French Open match

PARIS -- Unable to sleep the night before her first-round match at the French Open against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the Grand Slam tournament's No. 2 seed, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, checked her phone at 5 a.m. Sunday and saw disturbing news back home in Kyiv.

At least one person was killed when Kyiv was subjected to the largest drone attack by Russia since the start of its war, launched with an invasion assisted by Belarus in February 2022.

Marta's father and brother are in Kyiv.

You do realise most of the Russian and Belarusian players don’t live in their respective homelands? However, their families do. What do you think would happen to their families if they publicly denounced Putin and his sidekick?

I can understand why the Ukrainian player didn’t shake hands but in another match a few months ago another Ukrainien player just touched her racquet to Azarenka’s at the end (Azarenka being Belarusian).

Just to say - not that it has got anything to do with anything, but my late mother an avid tennis fan always said that the French spectators were always the rudest of the lot.

karmalady you know it is important in a war to keep the populations morale as high as possible. One way of doing this is sport and giving enjoyment to the Ukrainians watching.

That young lady is certainly doing her bit.

Look at our last war and how people enjoyed sport and entertainment as well as films.

Honestly it is vital.

karmalady

pascal30

Do you really think that this Belarusion wants to be in a war!! Poor woman, she is just another victim of Putin's ruthlessness.
How on earth are we ever going to have peace if we are all so lacking in compassion and inderstanding

I completely agree with this, there should have been handshakes, sport brings together not divides. That Belarusion was yet another victim and shame on the Ukranian, who could have been doing `her bit` in Ukraine, not playing sport

That Belarusion was yet another victim and shame on the Ukranian, who could have been doing `her bit` in Ukraine, not playing sport

I'm truly shocked that anyone could think that!

pascal30

Do you really think that this Belarusion wants to be in a war!! Poor woman, she is just another victim of Putin's ruthlessness.
How on earth are we ever going to have peace if we are all so lacking in compassion and inderstanding

I completely agree with this, there should have been handshakes, sport brings together not divides. That Belarusion was yet another victim and shame on the Ukranian, who could have been doing `her bit` in Ukraine, not playing sport

Sabalenka does not support Putin’s war in Ukraine. She is unable to influence the actions of the Russian government. I read that she was confused by the reaction of the crowd and thought that hostility was directed at her.
I don’t think that sport can resolve the war.

pascal30

Do you really think that this Belarusion wants to be in a war!! Poor woman, she is just another victim of Putin's ruthlessness.
How on earth are we ever going to have peace if we are all so lacking in compassion and inderstanding

There was a complete lack of compassion and understanding by the crowd for the Ukrainian's refusal to shake hands with a person whose country is an ally of a brutal invader.

25 May 2023
Moscow and Minsk have signed a deal to formalise the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles on Belarusian territory.

Russia on Thursday said the step was driven by rising tensions with the West.

AlJazeera

Ilovecheese

pascal30

Do you really think that this Belarusion wants to be in a war!! Poor woman, she is just another victim of Putin's ruthlessness.
How on earth are we ever going to have peace if we are all so lacking in compassion and inderstanding

I agree with you pascal30 ordinary sportspeople and citizens would have had no say in and no desire for the invasion.

Sometimes we have to find a spine and take responsibility for. our governments actions. The way to do this is to refuse to take part in international tournaments. They are drink snd meat to Putin.

Callistemon21

Whitewavemark2

Putin will use that for propaganda purposes. Where on earth was the French sense!

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Yes there is that of course, but what meant was the video of people booing the Ukrainian is gold to Putin.

pascal30

Do you really think that this Belarusion wants to be in a war!! Poor woman, she is just another victim of Putin's ruthlessness.
How on earth are we ever going to have peace if we are all so lacking in compassion and inderstanding

I agree with you pascal30 ordinary sportspeople and citizens would have had no say in and no desire for the invasion.

Do you really think that this Belarusion wants to be in a war!! Poor woman, she is just another victim of Putin's ruthlessness.
How on earth are we ever going to have peace if we are all so lacking in compassion and inderstanding

How come the Russians and their allies were allowed to enter the tournament anyway that Callistemon is the question.

Whitewavemark2

Putin will use that for propaganda purposes. Where on earth was the French sense!

€€€€€€€€

Putin will use that for propaganda purposes. Where on earth was the French sense!

Shame on the tennis authorities for allowing Russian and Belarusian players to even enter the tournament. How do they think a Ukrainian player is likely to react if they are forced to play against a representative of a country which has invaded their territory and is killing their compatriots, and possibly even their relatives? Kostyuk's reaction was very restrained under these circumstances, and as for the largely French crowd booing her, shame on them too. Any booing should be reserved for when Russian or Belarusian players walk onto the court.

I agree with Whitewaveand Gagajo

She was very restrained under the circumstances.
How come the Russians and their allies are allowed to enter the tournament anyway?

What Whitewavemark2 said.

I agree. And shame on the crowd for booing Kostyuk.

When your friends, family and country are being destroyed, killed, how do you not see politics in everything?

Honestly - if my country was being invaded and my fellow citizens were being killed - no - sod sportsmanship - I would not shake hands, in fact have difficulty keeping my hands off them!